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Publisher/Editor: K. D, Cheek, Sr, aka "OrJigoraortis* V2N5: May-June, 1992

The WORLD SCANNER REPORT

A Journal of VBF-OHF Scanner Technology & Engineering ISSN 1061-9240

LAST ISSUE FOR THE 1st HALF OF 1992

Just a reminder that it's that time of the year again,
folks. We publish ten issues per year and this is the
fifth of 1992. The next issue will be July's which will
be mailed on or about the first of July. This issue
serves as a "combined issue" for the months of May and
June. Please don't expect a June issue.

TIME TO RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION ?

Check your mailing label for a florescent pink slash
through the expiration date which reads EXPIRES: MAY 92
If so, this will be the last issue you will receive
unless you do one of three things: (1) renew your
subscription before July 1, 1992. (2) If you can't

renew right away because of budgetary onstraints, drop us
a line saying so and we’ll be glad to extend your
subscription through the July issue to tide you over
until you can get it together. (3) If you plan to NOT
renew, also drop us a note saying so and why not and
we'll send you the July issue anyway, just to say THANKS
for trying us out.

NEW COMPUTER & SOFTWARE FOR WSR !!

We did it! This issue was composed and processed on our
new Dell i386/33 computer using Microsoft Works for
Windows! Many of you may recall that we have been
operating with a pair of ancient Apple lie's all this
time. They got the job done well enough, but entering
the Information Age as we have been doing, it was best
that we make the move to state-of-the-art equipment. The
printing isn't our best yet, but all things in due time.
A laser printer is in the budget for the near future,
hopefully by year's end. In the interim, our Panasonic
KX-P1624 will do nicely as you can see here.

MORE ON THE FIDONET: NEW SCANNER ECHO!

Last month, I gave you a detailed overview of the FidoNet
worldwide computer network and the Shortwave Echo. Since
then, I have learned of and joined a new echo that's
exclusively dedicated to scanners and scanning, the SCAN-
Z1 echo. By the time you get this, its name will
probably have changed to the more international sounding
SCANRADIO. The flavor and character of the SHORTWAVE
echo will not change according to echo Moderator, Fred
Hatfield and so it will stay available to scanner
enthusiasts, too. So if you want a wide variety of

scanner, shortwave, and other radio information to pour
into your computer, and overwhelm your mind, you should
ask your local SysOp to carry both the SCANRADIO echo and
the SHORTWAVE echo. If the SysOp reports back to you
that his system can't find a SCANRADIO echo, then ask for
it under its old name, SCAN-Z1. It's a new echo with a
low to moderate volume of traffic, so it should be no
problem to convince your SysOp to carry it for you. Ken
Storm is the Moderator of SCANRADIO. Again, if you
haven't found a FidoNet BBS in your area, drop me a SASE
and a couple of loose extra stamps and I'll prepare a
list for you. Please mention the Area Codes of the
localities of your interest so that I can tailor the list
for your needs.

OUR BBS IS COMING RIC3IT ALONG: PLEASE JOIN !

The Hertzian Intercept BBS is steadily growing, adding
new features and files. It's also a lot faster since I
moved it into this whiz-bang Dell i386/33 computer. Its
hours have expanded just for you WSR readers to the
between 5:30pm-1:30pm, Pacific Times: (619)578-9247.
Please, this phone is reserved for voice business ONLY
between 1:30pm - 5:30pm. Absolutely no hobby chit-chat
on the phone; business only. Please use the mail or the
BBS for questions and non-business needs. If you have an
urgent need to call voice, please talk to whoever
answers; it is not likely that I can come to the phone
for any but the most urgent of needs. My workload and
prior commitments demand this be so. If you wonder what
I do, it's usually one of two things: writing about or
working on scanners, either of which requires my utmost
concentration and mental dexterity. Distractions must be
kept to a very minimum in my line of work. Thanks for
your patience. Please use the BBS if you can; it's there
for you!

FATMAN COMPUTER INTERFACE CORRECTIONS

Another obnoxious little gremlin has shown up in the FAT-
MAN Computer Interface schematics. Please turn to V2N1,
Jan 92, page 9 and make a pen & ink change as follows:
in the almost exact center of the page between U-4a and
U-4b, draw a dot to signify a connection of Pins 2,3,16,
10 & 11 of U-4 and Pins 2 & 4 of U-9. The connection dot
should go right on the intersection of the wire from U-9,
Pins 2 & 4 to Pin 10 of U-4b and the wire from U-4a. Pins
2,3 & 16 to U-4b, Pin 11. This is the only intersection
of what looks like two wires crossing in this vicinity.
The result of this correction is that +5v should be tied
to U-4, Pins 2,3,16,10 & 11 and U-9, Pins 2 & 4. Sorry
for any inconvenience this oversight may have caused.

FROM THE READERS

SCANNER BEAM TESTS: Dear Bill, Well, I finally
finished my evaluation of scanner beam antennas. The
antennas tested were:

1. Create Log Periodic - CLP5130-1

2. Grove Scanner Beam

3. Radio Shack VU110 TV Antenna

The antennas were mounted with vertical polarity and fed
with equal lengths of RG-8X coax from a DIAWA CS-20G coax
switch and fed to an I COM R-9000 receiver. I used the
R-9000 instead of the "Cheek-modified" R/S - PRO-2006
scanner only because of the very large "S" meter on the
R-9000. ( 1 don't blame you! If I had an R-9000 and a
"Cheek-modified" PRO-2006, I'd use the R-9000, too! /ED)

The procedure for comparison was first to aim the
antennas at Oklahoma City by peaking on the NOAA weather
station at 162.400 MHz. Then other OK City stations were
monitored in the 150, 450, and 860 MHz frequency ranges.
Two antennas were switched back and forth on a given
signal to compare relative signal strengths as indicated
on the "S" meter. Preamps were not used in these tests.

I have not calibrated, nor does ICOM give a calibration
for the S-Meter, so the comparison of the antennas was in
relative "S" units, (I Ihich is plenty good enough ! /ED)
There was complete silencing at all signal strengths
above one "$" unit. Below this, signals were readable,
but contained noticeable hiss. The "S" meter scale is
logarthimic, so it is related to dB signal strength.

Two antennas were compared at a time and then the
combination changed around. 1 took a lot of data for
which the results are summarized as follows:

1. Both scanner beams were good and were equal to or
better than the 1 COM-7000 discone antenna.

2. The CLP-5130 was clearly the best antenna, averaging
from 2 to 4 "S" units above the Grove Scanner Beam
across all bands.

3. A typical example at 859.262 MHz, the Grove Beam
yielded 0 "S" units, but the signal was still quite
readable. The Log Periodic yielded +3 to +4 S-units
with a perfect signal. Then I inserted a 10 db
attenuator in the antenna circuit. The Grove Beam
signal disappeared and the signal from the Log
Periodic signal dropped to 0 S-units but was still
readable. This indicates that, at least in this
frequency range, the Log Periodic yields as much as
10 db more sigal; a crucial difference.

4. The above test sequence was repeated in the 460 MHz
range, the antennas were much closer, within 3 db.

5. Around 150 MHz, I found conflicting results among
the antennas. On some signals in this range, the
Log Periodic indicated 1 to 2 S-units over the
Grove, but on other signals the difference was as

much as 4 S-units over the Grove. ( possibly because the
signals were off beam centers and each antenna has a
different radiation pattern. /ED)

My conclusions are that if you are looking to catch
signals in one general direction, then the investment in
a beam is certainly worthwhile. The Grove Scanner Beam
does a fine job, but if you win the lottery, go for the
Log Periodic. It is definitely better.

The performance of the TV antenna was disappointing. It
did a pretty good job on 860 MHz signals, slightly better
than the Grove, but in all other ranges, the Grove was
better. -William E. Bowers

A READER DOESNlI LIKE COMPUTERS!

Dear Mr. Cheek: Enclosed is a check for a six-month
renewal for the WSR, July - Nov/Dec '92. I'm holding
back six months, mostly because I don't own a computer.

I am noticing your journal's articles catering more and
more to them with scanners, if included, taking a back
seat and further away from pure scanner-related topics.

I hope more of your subscribers are noticing this format
change and can influence your style back to what it
originally was, it seems to me, intended to be. Thanks
for your consideration. -John A. Morris, WA

Dear John: Your letter was worse than the rare, but
venomous variety. Nasty letters are easy to ignore and
laugh at; and when people express their discontent in a
provocative manner, they’re wrong right off the bat and I
feel no obligation to mess with them any further. Your
letter, however, served to remind me of my frailty &
inability to please everyone. There's no way I can be
anything but sympathetic to your cause. And so I shall
explain the situation as best as I can, not only for your
benefit, but also for those who may feel as you do. No
one else has complained of our focus on computers yet,
but that doesn't mean much of anything.

The situation is that the world is moving into the
computer age whether we like it or not. My line of work
and the demands and needs of the majority of the
hobbyists require me to stay abreast of the latest
technology, which definitely includes computers and
things digital. Now you're going to love this....my
computer shows that you have a PRO-2004 and a Sangean
ATS-803A. This information was available to me at the
touch of a key; lightning quick. My computer makes it
easier for me to be aware of and responsive to your
needs, but THAT is not the point: it is the fact that
each of your two radios is internally operated by a
micro-computer and maybe you didn’t even know it!

Now here is the real clincher: humans, as you are aptly
aware, do not work with computers nearly so well as do
other computers! This is why I have dedicated the IVSR in
1992 to the computer-aided side of scanning. Do not fear

V2N5: May-June, 1992; Page 2

that the HSR will turn into a computer magazine; it will
not. He will always maintain a strong focus on scanners
& scanning but it is very important that we focus on BOTH
the technology of scanning AND the tools of scanning.
Computers are both a tool and a technology which demand
our interest. Look at it this way: how long does it take
to load 300 or 400 channels into your PRO-2004? And, how
often are you motivated to repeat that process? Let me
venture to guess that you try VERY HARD to preserve the
memory of your scanner because you loathe the idea of
having to finger-load all those frequencies in again.
Therefore, you are limited as to how much fun and use you
can get out of your scanner. No big deal so long as you
enjoy what you have, BUT...many hobbyists have joined the
computer age, and we have to stay on the leading edge of
new developments to quickly transfer them to the hobby
level. Computers are here to stay and are going to be
forever glued to the Hobby Radio scene. Therefore, I
don't have much of a choice in the matter. See another
angle of what I mean in Perry Joseph's continuing series
on "Scanner Frequency Management". Please think about it.

Take heart, however, because there is only so much that
can be said about computers as related to scanners and a
limit is in sight. He'll never truly reach an end to it,
but the intensity of our present focus will lessen and
the scanner will resume its rightful position as the
nucleus of our attention. Actually, it's always been
that way, but we deviated outside YOUR interests for a
time. How come you aren't computer oriented yet? Is it
because you are from the "old school" or are there other
factors involved? I stayed with my antiqued, Apple
computers for so long because of budgetary reasons.
Alas, I had to upgrade; budget or no budget, because the
world is not run on Apples anymore. I may be poorer but
I am happier. Could this possibly apply for you? /BC

READER THINKS WIDEBAND RADIO IS IT!

Dear Bill: It was really promising to see the article
covering the shortcomings of the I COM R-1 wideband
receiver in the April issue. I'm very excited about the
appearance of wideband scanners on the market; have been
ever since I first laid eyes on the groundbreaking SONY
ICF-PRO80. A handheld full-spectrum receiver seems to be
the ultimate way to observe conditions across vast
stretches of frequency. Thank you for spreading your
enthusiasm for wideband. Others have seemed to focus on
the negatives, the limitations of the rigs available. I
agree that units we've seen so far leave a bit to be
desired in many areas of performance, but the concept is
too exciting to let go by the wayside.

One possibility for the future of wideband radio is a
longwave-to-microwave receiver to appear like I COM's
stunning IC-2SAT and IC-4SAT. These rigs are the sharpest
yet in consumer electronics. To house a full-spectrum
receiver in this format would be a step into the future.
It should be able to receive SSB, in addition to WFM and
selectable IF bandwidths of AM and NFM, to make it the
radio of choice for full-function wideband monitoring.

We should write to the manufacturers, asking them to
bring out more wideband receivers, with improved
performance across their entire frequency range. It
could be that this concept will fit very nicely into a
future that could include direct-satellite broadcast. In
addition to all the other signals we can tune into with
our wideband receivers, we just might also be able to
monitor satellite broadcasts!

Maybe KIWA Electronics can design a mod to sharpen up the
R-1. They seem to be a natural to do this mod, judging
from their ads in Monitoring Times, Thanks again for
supporting wideband radio!! '73s/C. Ermatinger, MO

Nice, thoughtful letter, Chuck. I don't know whether to
share your enthusiasm or to turn dull and despondent.
You see, the manufacturers are not very responsive on a
personal level to the hobby. I think time was when they
were, but not anymore; not with the demise of Hammarlund,
Hal 1 icrafters, Atwater-Kent, etc. Mfgrs are responsive to
the market where the dollars are, but not to the Hobby
where the people are. I think we will see more and
better wideband handhelds coming out, but it won't be
because the mfrs are tuned in to us. It will be a
venture to make a buck. Pity, because the bucks are
there to be made, but a line of communications simply
does not exist between the Hobby and the mfgrs. Some
mfgrs like Grove Enterprises are the exception, but they
are few and far between. It seems that wherever you are
willing to spend a buck carries more clout than a letter
or a phone call. Now this more or less has to be so,
because without the buck, the mfgr cannot stay in
business. Even then, it's awfully hard to STAY in
business with costs of overhead, taxes, licenses,
salaries, and such. I suppose this missing line of
contact is something we have to accept, especially
considering products from offshore companies like ICOM,
Yaesu, & Kenwood. The USA offices of these companies

really are little more than marketing, sales & service

outlets and I think they have very little say-so in the
products that come to market. In the case of domestic
mfgrs like Drake, MFJ Enterprises and Grove Enterprises,
you are much more likely to be heard and I think they do

encourage feedback from the Hobby. The trouble is that

domestic mfgrs cannot compete with the off-shore industry
when it comes to economics of materials and labor. Most
likely, it is not feasible to build a competitor for the
"ICOM R-1" in this country; not for under $1,000 anyway,
and the R-1 is going for $479 now! There is a lot more
to a product than just cranking it out. For example, the
R-1 may have taken several engineers a year to design,
develop and prototype. The cost could easily reach $400K
before the first unit ever rolls off the production line.

I know that KIHA Electronics is aware of the R-l's
deficiencies, but I don’t know if they are working on a
solution. The thing critical to the R-1 is high

performance in a tiny package, and there's not much room
in there to stick a quality filter. KIHA assembles filter
units into modules, but they do not manufacture the

V2N5: May-June, 1992; Page 3

filter units. There may not be any small enough for the
R-1 with any quality. You're right, though, that KIWA is
in a good position to solve the problems in the R-l, if
they're really solveable — /8C

BUILD YOUR OWN CTCSS TONE FINDER

By: Professor Peabody;

Geetings Scanner Fans: This month we nosedive into the
world of CTCSS tones. Those wonderful subaudible tones
that make or break our squelch. Pun intended...

We all know what CTCSS tones are and their purpose, but
we can't know an incoming tone's frequency without aid of
special and usually expensive test equipment. But only
two simple items are all you REALLY need to find out what
you want to know about these tones. Two cheap and easy-
to-build circuits are used together to filter and display
CTCSS, if present on incoming signals. First is the 300
Hz low pass filter that appeared in Bill's Scanner
Modification Handbook, Vol-2, Mod # 31, page 176. Now if
you already have a frequency counter, you can stop right
here and feed your counter with the output of the Low
Pass Filter and be done with all the fuss and muss. On
the other hand, you may not want to tie up your counter
for CTCSS tone reading so the rest of this circuit might
be for you anyway! The output of the Low Pass Filter is
fed to my simple counter circuit which counts up to 999.
Three digits are all we need. When CTCSS tones are
present for about 5-sec or longer, the display gives a
direct readout of the tone in use. This circuit &
modification should work quite well with most modern
scanners. Here's how it works:

Figure 1, the schematic, shows the audio signal taken
from the high lug of the scanner's squelch control (which
is also the audio output of the NFM chip) and fed to the
low pass filter, the output of which is then fed to a
high gain amplifier that presents a 5 volt signal to the
two Schmitt trigger NANO gates to square up the tones so
they can be counted. Next, there is a precision one
second gate time so the counter can count the number of
pulses out of the amplifier. Instead of fooling with
crystals, I chose an accurate reference signal that's in
almost everyone's house in North America: 60 Hz AC power.
A bit of the 60 Hz signal is sampled from the secondary
of the power transformer and half wave rectified so only
the top of the waveform is left. Then fed into another
Schmitt trigger to clean up the signal. Two divide-by
circuits divide the 60 Hertz pulses by 10 and then 6 (60
total) leaving a precision 1 Hertz pulse. But the pulse
is 1 Hertz which means half the signal is low and the
other half high. So our gate time is .5 seconds. Not
what we want, so we just divide it by two again with a
flip-flop (4013) and we now have a .5 Hertz signal which
is one second low and one second high. Just what the
Professor ordered!

The precision gate time is fed to a NAND gate that makes
a "window" to allow the tones to be counted for the one

precision second and then the window closes for one
second. Then opens for a second and closes for a second,
continually repeating the cycle. The other NAND gates
use RC time constants to create the LATCH and RESET
pulses which clock the counted signals into the displays
and then clear the counters for another cycle. The 14553
1C is neat because it has a three digit counter and three
latches in it that holds the data. But then it
multiplexes the data for the three digits to cut down on
wiring. Only one transistor is on at a time and flashes
the digit a a 1000 Hertz rate so it looks constant to our
eyes. The 14543 1C is a BCD-to-seven segment decoder-
driver that makes the digits light up in the displays.
The seven segment displays have the matching cathodes
wired together and the anodes are connected to their
corresponding transistors to be multiplexed. The gate
LED is used to display the one second gate time and of
course we need at least one LED in the project or why
build it at all!

Build the ciruit on one or two pieces of perf board or
make your own PCB, whichever suits you best. Install the
board(s) in a project box of suitable size to hold the
circuit board(s) and the transformer. Everything can be
self-contained in the enclosure and you can make it look
pretty slick. Very little work needs to be done inside
the scanner this way. In fact, you need only tap the
audio output of the NFM chip in your scanner, which in
many cases is as simple as the high lug of the SQUELCH
control. This will be the case for the PRO-2004/5/6,
PRO-34/37 and most other Realistic scanners. In worst
cases, you can refer to back issues of the WSR, V1N4 &
V1N9 to find which NFM chip is used by your scanner and
which pin of the chip is the audio output. Whichever you
select or find best for your needs, solder a 0.1-uF
capacitor to the tap point and connect a shielded mini
coax to the other lead of the capacitor and route this
mini coax to a phono jack on the rear panel of your
scanner. Ground each shield end of the coax and you're
in business. Install a phono jack on the rear panel of
your CTCSS Finder box and on the inside, connect it to
the INPUT of the Low Pass Filter via another 0.1-uF
capacitor.

Connect a mating patch cable between the new TONES OUT
jack on the scanner and the TONES IN jack on the CTCSS
Finder box. Plug it in to 110-vac and the Gate LED
should start blinking. Adjust the voltage at pin 5 of U-
1b, the op-amp, to 3.50 volts. Temporarily connect a
100-pf to 0.01 -uF capacitor to one of the two secondary
low-voltage leads of the transformer to the TONES IN of
the Low Pass Filter. Slowly crank up the gain of VR1 and
you should see 060 presented in the displays. You are
now measuring the 60 Hz line voltage. If you see 061
displayed, move the cap to the other transformer
secondary lead and you should see 060 displayed. That's
the whole checkout procedure, nothing to it.

After connecting it to your scanner you will see random
numbers displayed with no signal into the scanner. This

V2N5: May-June, 1992; Page 4

is because random noise is coming out of the squelch
circuit. Perfectly normal. When a transmission is
present that has the tones two or three gate times is all
that is needed to accurately count the tones. If random
numbers or 000 is displayed when a transmission is
present that is known to have the CTCSS tones then crank
up the gain with VR1 so you get a stable display. But
don't have too much gain, enough is sufficient. I have
found that this tone counter is very accurate and will
display the tones to 1 Hertz accuracy. Not bad for a
circuit that costs 12 bucks! So enjoy and have fun.

SCANNER FREQUENCY MANAGEMENT - PART 3
by Perry Joseph, President, DataPile, Inc.

Developer of ProScan Frequency Management System.

In my last installment, I described the general types of
software which can be used for managing a frequency
list. The conclusion: using a database program offers
the most power and flexibility for our task.

Choosing the right type of database manager is VERY
important. I say IMPORTANT and I mean it. I have
witnessed enumerable instances of leap before look in the
fine art of purchasing software. Before I discuss some
of the specifics of database programs, let me offer you
an invaluable tip for buying software. Purchase from a
high volume retailer who offers 30-day money-back
guarantees. This way, you can "afford" to make the wrong
choice and try again. You'll find many of the national
software retailers are competitive with mail order
outlets. Any price difference will be a small price to
pay to insure the purchase, unless of course, you are
absolutely certain the software will suit your needs;
only then would I consider buying from a mail order or
discount outlet.

Please note that specific references to software are DOS-
based programs. This month's installment is a rough
summary and is not meant to be all-inclusive. Your needs
and options may vary and must be carefully evaluated
before buying a database program.

include PC-File by ButtonWare, Inc. (206)454-0479, Q&A by
Symantec Corp. (408)253-9600, and Rapidfile from Borland
(408)438-8400. In addition, there are numerous database
programs available under the shareware concept, which is
"try it for free and if you like it, send us some
money". Typically, these programs are found on
electronic bulletin board services or for low dollars
from "shareware" providers.

The more adventuresome might consider purchasing one of
the more expensive programs. If, for example, we wanted
to keep a daily log on active frequencies, we would have
good reason to consider a "relational" database program.
"Relational" offers an ability to maintain a file for the
frequencies and a separate file for the log entries, thus
eliminating redundant info every time a new entry is made
to the log file for a specific freq (in other words, we
would not have to enter the freq name, location, etc,
every time we wanted to enter a new log record). When a
frequency record is retrieved, the "related" log records
are automatically brought along with it. In this
example, relational programs offer a more flexible way of
maintaining data.

Another issue worth discussing is programmability.
Programming offers a cability to create custom screens,
queries and reports for specific types of tasks, thus
reducing the amount of time it takes to store, retrieve
and maintain data. There are three general programming
types of database programs:interactive or interpretive,
programmable-only and non-programmable.

Interactive/interpretive database programs offer a
combination of tools for both programmers as well as
users. You can either program the database "engine" for
specific or redundant tasks, or use built-in features
which provide direct access to your data. These programs
cover the gamut from simple to sophisticated. Some of the
high end interactive/ interpretive programs include
askSam by askSam Systems (904)584-6590, dBase IV and
Paradox by Borland Intern! (408)438-8400, and FoxPro by
Fox Software (419)874-0162 (Note: FoxPro was recently
purchased by Microsoft).

There are many questions to be answered when choosing a
database program. What type of data will be maintained,
what type of platform is required (DOS, Macintosh, etc)
what type of hardware is required (do you have enough RAM
and disk space), single-user or multi-user, etc. If,
however, you are looking for a database program to
simply manage a frequency list, we can eliminate some of
the more tedious questions. Assuming the main job to
track basic frequency info and data storage & retrieval
requirements to be simple, we can consider the plain and
inexpensive types of database systems commonly known as
"flat-file", as opposed to "relational" which are used
for more complex data structures. Most "flat-filers"
offer plenty of features, such as data sorting,
retrieval, conditional reporting, etc. These programs
are easy to use, require a minimum haroware investment
and are economical. Some flatfile database programs

Programmable-only database programs, sometimes referred
to as compilers, do not offer interactive capabilities
and therefore require additional development time, not to
mention learning curves and high prices. The benefit of
this type of program is faster running and a higher
degree of flexibility and customization. These type of
programs include Clipper by Nantucket (213) 390-7923,
Quicksilver by WordTech Systems, Inc. (510) 254-0900 and
Force by Dvorak Software (303) 494-0298.

Non-programmable database programs are used when
extensive data management is not required. These
programs have a fixed amount of built-in routines
allowing for queries, sorting, design of data input and
output screens as weil as reports. This type of program
includes the previously mentioned flat-file programs as
well as relational programs like Professional File by

V2N5: May-June, 1992; Page 5

Software Publishing Corp. (408)986-8000, Personal R:BASE
by Microrim (206)649-9500 and Alpha Four by Alpha
Software Corp. (617)272-3680.

A few other thoughts in closing: Technical support
policies vary widely from free to expensive and from
instant phone support to "leave a message". A major issue
is compatibility of files if you are interested in
exporting/importing data from/to other sources (Note: The
dBase type file format is the most popular with an
estimated market share of 48%). I also suggest the more
popular programs offer a greater degree of survivability
in this very competitive marketplace.

Next month, we will explore some specific requirements
needed to effectively manage a frequency list. /PJ

Inside GEnie's Radio, Electronics
& Broadcasting Roundtable

Say "radio" and a lot of people conjure up images of the
quintessential nerd poring over a circuit diagram while
fingering the keys of his 4000-function, programmable
calculator. Alas! Such astereotypical impression is
hard to overcome, but I can assure you we are simply NOT
THAT WAY in the RADIO RoundTable.

Although our short name is the "RADIO RT", our official
title is the "Radio, Electronics, and Broadcasting
RoundTable". And even this long name hardly does service
to the myriad of topics we address. We cover everything
— and I mean EVERYTHING — related to the hobbies and
professions of electronics:

Audio/video systems
Telephone systems
Burglar alarms
Satellite TV
Lasers

Historical figures
Equipment repair
Facsimile machines
Cellular phones
TV/FM reception

And a whole

Shortwave radio
Amateur (ham) radio
Citizens Band radio
Construction projects
Marine electronics
Broadcasting
Weather satellites
"Spy" communications
Scanner radio listening
CD players

lot more!!!

As part of GEnie*Basic Services, the RADIO RT Bulletin
Board area is one of the least expensive ways imaginable
to find the answer to your questions about the world of
electronics. The Software Library has nearly 3000 files,
including frequency lists, handy programs,broadcast
schedules, and study guides.

RealTime Conferences are always a special treat in the
RADIO RT. We have numerous interesting guests in
RealTime Conferences each year. Just recently, we had
RTCs on 900-number phone services and cellular telephone
monitoring laws. (The notes are in the Software
Library.) Every Sunday night at 9 PM Eastern time,
shortwave enthusiasts gather in Room 2, in real-time

to share their monitoring successes. Besides shortwave
broadcasts from around the world, they hear military
action, air/sea rescues, Air Force 1, and even pirate
(illegal) and clandestine broadcasters.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

If, like many GEnie users, you're a news hound, you'll be
glad to know that the RADIO RT offers you late-breaking
news with an international flavor. The RADIO RT was
first on the scene with news straight from Radio Moscow
on the recent coup. We had not only current news reports
about the Gulf War, but we could listen in on some of the
action as it took place! Exciting? You bet!!!

We can show you how to receive weather satellite photos
directly from space. How about a conversation with an
astronaut or cosmonaut? We can show you how to do that,
too. It's all possible in the RADIO RT.

Are you thinking about buying a new stereo system or VCR?
Visit the RADIO RT first. We have many ongoing, lively
discussions about the best equipment to buy on any kind
of budget, and where to buy it. If you need a new
answering machine, pocket organizer, telephone, pager, or
any other gadget, we have the answers to your questions.

Do you use a cordless or cellular telephone? Then you
may be interested to find out just how easy it is for
other people to monitor your conversations. It takes
only a simple scanner radio. That's right. And while
listening to cellular calls is illegal, listening to
cordless telephones is NOT. Your neighbors or even your
competition could be eavesdroping with ease on your
private life. You will be shocked, but we can also help
guide you in protecting your privacy.

WHAT MAKES US SPECIAL?

I think you'll find the RADIO RT an incredibly friendly
place. No need to feel like you're asking a "dumb
question," since we've all had to start from scratch at
one time or another. As our ham radio topic leader Brian
Murrey (MURREY) puts it, "The best things I see on the
Radio RT are the amount of helpful information that can
be had here. There are so many talented and helpful
users and leaders here that it makes it hard to be a
stranger for long." Allan Courtney (A.COURTNEY) sums it
up even more succinctly: "The comraderie amongst the
members of the RT can't be beat!"

The users make the RADIO RT a complete success. They
come from all walks of life. Our online survey shows
that only about half of our users work in electronics-
related fields. We have the expected array of engineers
and technicians, but we also have doctors, lawyers,
housewives, students, and others. The common thread is
SOME interest in SOME aspect of electronics.

Thanks to very strong talent, our staff can work with
USERS and guide and manage our Bulletin Board, Real-Time

V2N5: May-June, 1992; Page 6

Conferences, and Software Libraries very effectively.
After all, if you can't find info quickly and easily,
you're wasting time and money. But we don't that to
happen and we do want you to come back often.

The staff members offer strong credentials in their
respective areas of expertise, too, Allan Courtney, for
example, spends his non-GEnie hours as a dentist, yet he
brings 20+ years of shortwave listening experience to the
RoundTable. Brian Murrey is a licensed ham radio
operator and has been a GEnie user since the earliest
days. He runs his own ham radio BBS, and he edits the
Fidonet Ham/Packet Digest, a digest of found-articles on
electronic sources - definitely of interest to hams.

Ed Lentz (ELENTZ) and Will Loftis (W.LOFTIS) are scanner
radio TOPic leaders. Their hobby and work focuses on
police, fire, and other emergency comms. Ed also edits
the Public Safety South Central US column for the Radio
Communication Monitoring Association Journal, and he
maintains frequency databases for Texas, Louisiana,
Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Alabama and Mississippi.

Joe Pennington (J.PENN INGT04) and Doug Krile (D.KRILE)
head up the broadcasting area with some impressive
credentials. Joe is the News and Program Director for
KDES-AM-FM in Palm Springs, California, and has a primary
professional background in investigative radio and
television journalism. He has also won a couple of Emmys
for his TV work, the National Annual Award from the
Aviation and Spacewriters Association for TV work, the
Abraham Lincoln Award for radio documentary production,
and a host of lesser-recognized awards. Joe stands for
rights, too. Joe fought two serious First Amendment
issues in the courts, including a 'refusal to identify
news source' case which made its way to the U.S. Supreme
Court. And Doug is the 10 PM news anchor for KARK-TV in
Little Rock, Arkansas. Both men have served to
increase GEnie recognition amongst their fellow pros, but
they also lead some interesting discussions for everyone
in CATegory 16 of the RADIO RoundTable Bulletin Board.

Mike Chappie (M.CHAPPLE) brings his experience in the
fields of education and video production to the Audio/
Video and Consumer Electronics CATegories, two of the
most interesting and informative places on GEnie! Mike
is a teacher during the day, and he has proven to be an
exceptional TOPic leader. No doubt his professional
skills as a teacher contribute. Always sensitive and
diplomatic, if Mike doesn't know the answer, he's almost
always sure to point you in the right direction for
finding it. He is also a licensed ham radio operator.
As he puts it, "The moment I set foot in the RADIO,
ELECTRONICS, and BROADCASTING RoundTable, I was insanely
inspired to get my ham 'ticket' (license), and am now
hooked on almost everything discussed in the RoundTable.
Don't say you weren't warned!"

Bruce Robin (BRUCE-ROBIN) and Tom Robinson (TOM-ROBINSON)
keep atop the exciting and fast-growing field of home
automation. The X-10 light and appliance controls

introduced a decade ago spawned a whole new industry.
Now you can automate your lifestyle through smart devices
and your personal computer. Machines are here to help us.
Make the most of yours by stopping by CAT 11.

Keith Whitton (MASTERWERKS) serves as assistant SysOp
when he can find time. Keith has a rare breadth of

experience servicing electronics, and he is our resident
Mr. Fix-it. If it's broken, chances are good he can tell
you why it's broken and whether or not it can be fixed.

And me? I founded the RADIO RoundTable just over three
years ago. interests in shortwave radio began nearly 25
years ago. I am an avid listener to anything under the
sun, and I hold amateur Extra Class license with the

callsign NA5E. My professional interests include radio
physics as well as aerospace and radio systems

engineering. I spend what little free time I have doing
freelance writing, primarily for radio-related
publications. AROUND THE RADIO RoundTable BULLETIN BOARD

The Bulletin Board is organized into logical areas or

CATegories of general interest, defined as follows:

1 The Starting Point - RoundTable Help and SysOp Feedback

2 REB's Lounge and Conversation Cafe

3 Shortwave Listening

4 Scanning - Law Enforcement, Emergency, Military, and Air Comms

5 Electronics Service and Repair

6 Amateur Radio

T Citizens Band Radio

8 The Trading Post - Wanted or For Sale

9 Audio 4 Video - Stereos, CO Players, VCRs, Camcorders, ad infinitum
HU Consumer Electronics - Telephones, Organizers, and Gadgets Galore!

11 Lifestyle Automation - Computer control of Home and Office

12 Satellites, Radio Astronomy, and Other Space Topics

13 High Technology and Professional Engineering

14 Construction Projects

15 Mini-Mail - Shopping for all your Electronic Needs

16 Broadcasting - The Profession and Programming

17 Odds and Ends <- Your hard-to-piace questions go here!

18 General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS)

CATegorv 1 . The Starting Point ... is used to answer
questions on Bulletin Board and Software Library
operations. We also make RoundTable announcements, post
information about recent file uploads, and solicit
feedback and suggestions in this CATegory. If you are

new to GEnie, make sure you read all messages in CATegory

1, TOPic 1 for information on moving around the

RoundTable with ease.

CATegorv 2 ... serves as our general conversation area.
At present we have an interesting discussion going on
about "Monitoring Ethics." The debate covers everything
from radar detectors to cellular phone eavesdropping, and
you may want to join in. The Conversation Cafe also
offers areas in which to introduce yourself as well as

learn how to get started in electronics.

V2N5: May-June, 1992; Page 7

CATegory 3 ... shortwave listening (SWLing) has always
been one of our busiest CATegories. It covers many
subjects ... from which inexpensive receiver to buy, to
current shortwave broadcast schedules. Also, CATegory 3
contains the results of our Sunday night RealTime
Conferences. Here's a sample of loggings from one of the
latest SWL RTCs. You can see we hear a wide variety of
interesting signals from all over the world.

Frequency Time Comment

4820 0148 IV Evangelica, Honduras with SS OH. [Paul]

4826 8146 Tentative fi. Cancao Nova in Peru. [Paul]

4914.6 8248 fi. Cora, Lima, Peru in SS with 10. [Bob M.]

4985 8112 Presumed R. Brasil Central with OH in PP & pop mx.

5616 0221 Unid flight comms in US8. Hent. Gander. [Lew]

6020 0241 Radio Netherlands, Happy station with music. [Paul]

6135 0244 Swiss Radio International in SS. // 6125, 17730 [Paul]

6673 0106 Hurricane hunter a/c in comms w/ KJY24 USB. [Joe]

7415 0130 Pirate Radio Beaver with ID. Husic. USB [Brian]

9590 0150 BBC NS via Sackville with Sitar music. [Jay]

9745 0107 HCJB with contest for trip to Ecuador. [Hike]

11645 0115 Voice of Greece with music. [Jay]

13011 0143 CQ de WNU44...Slidell, La. marker. [Jay]

14335 0155 Hurricane Bob info by hams in USB. [Brian]

I realize some of the abbreviations may seem strange, but
come visit CATegory 3 to learn what they mean! Regular
visitors to CAT 3 include Bob Grove, Havana Moon, Tom
Sundstrom, and many more of your SWL gurus. We even have
a special support topic run by Japan Radio Company.

CATegory 4 ... dedicated to monitoring VHF/UHF public
safety and similar communications. We trade frequency
tips, techniques and suggestions to help tune in on all
the excitement. Believe me, few things are exciting as
listening to all the action in your town. It's easy to
do, and it can be inexpensive, too. RCMA, Bill Cheek,
and Uniden all participate in CAT 4 discussions.

CATegory 5 ... Did your new toy break? Check CATegory 5
for service and repair information. We can guide you
through simple check-out procedures to make sure you
really do have a problem before you spend big bucks on a
new unit or repairs. For do-it-yourselfers, we offer
parts sources, repair procedures, and more. Some very
talented people inhabit this CATegory.

CATegory 6 ... Amateur radio is another very popular area
Here is the latest info on new products, licensing help,
equipment mods, and loads of help for newcomers to the
ham hobby. Ham radio operators can talk to people all
over the world from kings (King Hussein of Jordan is JY1,
and King Juan Carlos of Spain is EA0JC) to astronauts and
cosmonauts (hams often go up on the Space Shuttle, and
the cosmonauts aboard the MIR Spacelab are hams). Come
see why this hobby is so popular, especially now that you
don't need to take a Morse code test to get a license.

CATegory 7 ... No, CB radio didn't die in the late 1970s,
as many people believe. It's alive and well, as the
activity in CATegory 7 will show you.

CATegory 8 ... Want good deals on anything electronic,
check out the Trading Post.

CATegory 9 ... The AUDIO/VIDEO CATegory covers all
aspects of audio and video technology from "What
camcorder should I buy?" to "What's the latest release on
laserdisc?" There are lots of friendly people willing to
help anyone from the rank amateur with brand new
equipment to the seasoned pro who just can't find that
obscure connector.

CATegory 10 ... Consumer electronics is very diverse.
Here are discussions of all kinds of consumer electronics
such as telephones, answering machines, pagers; even
(900) numbers. Feel free to stop by and share with us!
Although both the AUDIO/VIDEO and Consumer Electronics
CATegories cover TOPics of interest to those who have
absolutely no interest in radio, be forewarned, As Mike
suggested above, you may just find yourself with a whole
new repertoire of interests and hobbies!

CATegory 11 ... Lifestyle Automation, where you can learn
how to control your home and office environments for
maximum convenience and energy efficiency.

CATegory 12 ... Here you can learn about satellite TV,
radio astronomy, weather photo reception, and much more.

CATegory 13 ... discussions on advanced technology, data
protocols, networking, components, and other technical
TOPics related to engineers and electronics professionals.

CATegory 14 ... We have plenty of users who like to build
their own gadgets and projects, simple & complex, from
timer circuits to robots. Warm up your soldering irons.

CATegory 15 ... This is the RADIO RT's "Mini-mall." There
are vendors selling a wide range of amateur, scanning,
and SWL-related equipment, books, & software. You can buy
everything from Radio Shack products to music scheduling
software for broadcast stations.

CATegory 16 ... Even if you're not interested in building
something electronic or a ham license, you might be
interested in TV and radio broadcasting. This is the
place for info related to broad-cast station engineering
& programming. Many network professionals and air
personalities visit here, so take advantage of their
presence to voice your questions and concerns.

CATegory 17 ... is home to all electronic "orphan"
TOPics. Odds and ends go here. Almost anything goes.

CATegory 18 ... All about the General Mobile Radio
Service: business & personal uses; equipment, too.

RADIO Roundtable SOFTWARE LIBRARIES

Our Software Libraries are organized into text file areas
and machine-specific software areas for programs designed
to run on specific computers.

V2N5: May-June, 1992; Page 8

1. General News

2. Amateur Radio

3. Shortwave Listening

4. Scanner Listening

5. Build It! (Electronics Projects)

6. AUDIO/VIDEO and Other Toys

7. Software - IBM

8. Software - Apple

9. Software - Commodore

10. Software - Tandy

11. Software - Atari

12. Software - Other

13. Satellites and Radio Astronomy

14. Engineering and Broadcasting

15. Odds and Ends

16. RoundTable Help Files and Programs

As an example, if you are someone with an IBM PC, and
you're interested in learning about ham radio, you should
check LIBRARY 2 for text files, and LIBRARY 7 for ham-
related programs. Our Software Libraries contain nearly
3000 files. Some of the best of the more recent files

include these:

File Name

Description

2766

NEWSLINE.46

Amateur radio Newsline 46

2764

SAND 1 EGO.ARC

Scanner freqs for San Diego - ARCed

2762

AIR-Z92.SKD

Z92 Schedule for AIR

2759

TEXASFRQ.TXT

VHF/UHF scanner freqs for Texas

2758

PCT214.ZIP

PC-Track V2.14

2757

CALFREQS.TXT

List of uhf and vhf freqs for CA

2756

SCOX2152.TXT

Sweden Calling DXers 2152 for 3/17/92

2751

DX0320.TXT

W1AW DX Bulletin for 20 Mar 1992

2750

LORANCNV.EXE

Loran-C conversion program (MS-DOS)

2749

HAMFIND.LZH

Amiga search program for Buckmaster

2747

KTWIN220.ZIP

Kenwood rig control for Windows

2745

PLUSTD.EXE

Music Scheduling Software

2734

EDXC92.TXT

Info on the 1992 EDXC meeting

2733

RADI0.TXT

Newsletter of radio promotion ideas

2264 SATFINDR.PAK MS-DOS locater for geosync satellites
2267 900NUM.RTC RTC notes on 900 number phone services

2276 PCCLK215.ZIP Set PC clock to atomic standard

2286 NETROM.TXT How to use NETROM packet nodes

2287 EXAMS.TXT Ham radio exams around the US

2289 ECPA.ZIP Electronic Comms Privacy Act of 1986

Some of the most popular files these days are aimed at
helping with ham radio license study, too. About 40
percent of our users are licensed hams, so drop by the
Bulletin Board for suggestions on files to download for
ham radio study. And just for grins, check out our
online electronics quiz on Page 345. Now, doesn't all
this sound interesting? It’s affordable, too! For only
$4.95 per month you can have UNLIMITED ACCESS to
GEnie*Basic services during non-prime time (6PM to 8AM
weekdays and all day weekends and holidays). GEnie*Basic
services include dozens of bulletin boards, e-mail, and
much more! GEnie Value services are also inexpensive.
At only $6 per hour you can access over 100,000 files,
enjoy real-time conferencing, and track the latest
financial reports. For more information, call 1-800-638-
9636. Come join us real soon. And, as we say in radio,
73s (best wishes)!

TO SUBSCRIBE TO GEnie USE OUR AUTOMATED SIGN UP PROCEDURE

1. Set your communications software for for Half Duplex

(local echo) at Mi, 1200 or 2400 baud

2. Dial (toll free) 1-800-638-8369 . Upon connection,

type HHH but DO NOT hit the ENTER key.

3. At the U= prompt type XTX99574.GENIE and press ENTER

There is no initial fee to join the GEnie network. At
the end of the online registration, a personal User
Number and temporary password will be displayed on your
screen. Both are required for logon, so please be sure
to make a note of them. For written information about
the system, call Customer Service at 1-800-638-9636.

CONFIDENTIAL SUBSCRIPTION ORDER: Please Print Ciearlv

V2N5

NAME:

STREET:

CITY:_STATE:_ZIP:_

AMOUNT

PHONE: ( ) _ENCLOSED: $_

THE BELOW QUESTIOKS ME OPTIMAL BUT HILL HELP US HELP YOU. 1

Radio Interests? (Put YEARS OF EXPERIENCE in each block that applies)

VHF-UHF Amateur CB Shortwave Professional

Scanning?_Radio?_Radio?_Listening?_Radio?_

Career/Profession

Or Occupation?_

List makes & models of your scanners 8 other radio equipment:

Describe your technical abilities 8 interests here

05/07/92 SUBSCRIPTION RATES 8 ORDER BLANK V2N5
USA RATES: (Canada +10$: Other Foreign +20%/surf or +40%/Air)
HSR BACK ISSUES ONLY USA 88 Check Items

Any Single Copy, your choice 1 ea $ 4.00 _

1991 (1st 6-mo, Jan-May/Jun) 5 ea $13.50 _

1991 (2nd 6-mo, Jul-Nov/Dec) 5 ea $13.50 _

1991 (1st Year, Jan-Nov/Dec) 10 ea $23.00 _

1992 (3rd 6-mo, Jan-May/Jun) 5 ea $15.00 _

1991- 2 (All the above) 15 ea $35.00 _

WSR CURRENT SUBSCRIPTIONS ONLY

1992 (July-Nov/Dec) 6-mos 5 ea $15.00 _

1992- 3 (July - May/Jun) 1-yr 10 ea $25.00 _

1992-4 (July - May/Jun) 2-yr 20 ea $45.00 _

OTHER LITERATURE AVAILABLE

HOBBY RA0I0 BUYER'S DIRECTORY $14.95 ppd surf _

SCANNER MOD HNDBK, Yol-1: $17.95 ♦ $3.00 S8H _*

SCANNER MOO HNDBK, Vol-2: $17.95 ♦ $3.00 S8H _ *

* Canada US$4 S8H; Other Foreign USS5 S8H: extra for Air Mail
MAKE REMITTANCE PAYABLE IN US FUNDS TO: COmmiUCS EMJMM1M
Include a 110 S.A.S.E. and one loose extra stamp if you want
hobby info 8 personal reply! Business inquiries exempt.

FIGURE 1 :

CTCSS TONE FINDER.

NOTE: This circuit barks worse than it bites. U-1 is a dual 2-in-l chip and,
U-2 4 U-6 are quad 4-in-l chips. The digital display is the worst thing to deal
with here, but is easily handled. If you can't find a 3-segment display, use
three individual LED digits, Radio Shack #276-075. Position them on a piece of
perf board and wire each pin in parallel with all other corresponding pins: a to
a, b to b, c to c, etc, EXCEPT for the common anode of each digit, which should
be wired as shown to the collectors of Q1-3. If you use the digits from Radio
Shack, the diagram on the rear of the blister-pak will guide you well enough.

NOTE: Most parts are available from Radio Shack, but U-2, U-7 4 U-8 must
be obtained elsewhere. See back issues for addresses of Digi-Key and Easy
Tech, both great sources of electronic parts. CAUTION: The capacitors and
resistors in the Low Pass Filter must NOT be substituted! Very critical!

Tons'

INPUT
See Text

A/OTS '■ AAOiO SHACK Pa/it GtOe/J VlHSfc available

COMMTRONICS ENGINEERING

The "WORLD SCANNER REPORT”

PO BOX 262478

SAN DIEGO, CA 92196-2478

V2N5

•

920507

IN THIS ISSUE ISSN-1061-9240 EIRST CLASS /VTA 1 1

t TIHE TO RENEW? check your mailing label now!

+ New computer 4 software for the HSR
+ New Scanner Echo (SCANRADIO) in the FidoNet
+ FATMAN Computer Interface Error Corrections
t Reader Tests Three Scanner Beam Antennas
+ Reader doesn't like computers?
t Reader on Wideband Radio
+ Build Your Own CTCSS Tone Finder
♦ Scanner Frequency Management, Part 3
t Inside GEnie's Radio, Electronics 4 Broadcasting RoundTable

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